Hoyland Fox is an umbrella frame manufacturer founded and formerly based in
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
,
UK.
History
Samuel Fox founded Fox Umbrella Frames Ltd in 1842 in
Stocksbridge
Stocksbridge is a town and civil parish, in the City of Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies just to the east of the Peak District. The town is located in the steep-sided valley of th ...
,
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
,
UK. Fox Umbrella Company started with a rain umbrella product. Samuel Fox is the first inventor of the U-shape ribs (called "Paragon").
William Hoyland, assistant of Samuel Fox, built his own company ''William Hoyland Ltd'' in 1875. Hoyland and Fox’s Chief engineer Joseph Hayward set up business to produce the patented "Flexus" frame as an alternative to Fox' "Paragon" frame. The "Flexus" frame is built up of solid ribs with flat spring stretchers coupled in pairs and in such a manner that all the stretchers were under tension when the frame was in any position except when fully closed.
Samuel Fox became the largest umbrella frame manufacturer in the world around the turn of last century. The company went on to be one of the largest steel makers in UK before being nationalised by British Steel. In late 1987, Readicut International bought William Hoyland and Co. Ltd from local owners. One year later, Hoyland acquired Fox Umbrella Frames Ltd and established the present company Hoyland Fox Limited.
The Activa Group acquired Hoyland Fox Ltd in 2008 and transferred the brand name, patents, technology, tools and machinery to its China factory ending 166 years of Sheffield tradition.
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Sites
Until the acquisition by Activa, the group was based at the following locations.
*Manchester Road, Millhouse Green, Barnsley
*Valley Road, Meersbrook
Meersbrook () is a suburban district in the south-west of Sheffield, England bordered by Nether Edge to the west, Norton Lees to the south, Heeley to the north and the Meersbrook allotment site (the largest allotment site in Europe) to the east ...
, Sheffield
*Stocksbridge, Sheffield
References
{{Reflist
External links
Company websiteSheffield Star Newspaper: Disgraced businessman and wife sued for £1 million
Manufacturing companies based in Sheffield
Umbrella manufacturers
Manufacturing companies established in 1842
British companies established in 1842